Namaste!

...I will need your prayers...

There are people who have never heard about Jesus. Conviction that they must hear? Yes! I want to do whatever is best for the kingdom, whether sending, or going I must be a part! All my resources are God's gift to me and I want to use it the best way that I can for His kingdom. My time, not my own. I want to use it for His glory. How can I best use my time? I think it is going to take much wisdom, sound judgement, and discretion. To learn that, I must go to His Word. I am thankful that God gave me a life to enjoy. Delighting in Him. Glad that He is with me wherever I am. Excited about culture and observing the variety of ways people interact, eat, and think. Thankful that God gave us the outdoors to enjoy, design, and pretty things to look at. Creativity to experience some of His charecter. Looking forward to eternal life. Yes, life is hard on this side of things, but much joy is found when you know that your name is written in the book of life. I'm excited to see what God teaches me on this trip. How will I respond to being in a culture so different from all that I know? How will I be challenged? How will it impact my view of missions? I look forward to answering these questions come August. Praying for a prepared heart now. Stay tuned!

A Qoute from "The Empty Self" By J.P. Moreland

The empty soul, or as it's sometimes called the ‘empty self’, is a person who is overwhelmingly self-centred and narcissistic. Psychologists have now identified this as a problem of epidemic proportions. We see it increasingly in America amongst teenagers and young adults. It manifests itself as a childish, infantile approach to life that is extremely self-absorbed and individualistic. We are now finding that people are taking to their late 30s before they become adults. Americans are continuing to engage in teenage attitudes and behaviors up to this age, which is evidence of the empty self.

Empty selves are largely absorbed with body image. They are preoccupied with physical attractiveness and live for food, sex and exercise. As far as they are concerned, the universe revolves around them. Everything else, including people, exist as a means to satisfying their own needs. According to them, even Jesus Christ and God exist to satisfy a person's needs. So when the empty self comes to Church, religion becomes just another form a therapy. God is just another tool in the bag of tricks that helps them to be a success in their secular life.

Simplified Missional Living

By: Jonathan Dodson

Eat with Non-Christians
We all eat three meals a day. Why not make a habit of sharing one of those meals with a non-Christian or with a family of non-Christians? Go to lunch with a co-worker, not by yourself. Invite the neighbors over for family dinner. If it’s too much work to cook a big dinner, just order pizza and put the focus on conversation. When you go out for a meal, invite a non-Christian friend. Or take your family to family-style restaurants where you can sit at the table with strangers and strike up conversations.

Have cookouts and invite Christians and non-Christians.
Flee the Christian subculture.Walk, Don’t DriveIf you live in a walkable area, make a practice of getting out and walking around your neighborhood, apartment complex, or campus. Instead of driving to the mailbox or convenience store, walk to get mail or groceries. Be deliberate in your walk. Say hello to people you don’t know. Strike up conversations. Attract attention by walking the dog, carrying along a 6-pack to share, bringing the kids. Make friends. Get out of your house! Last night I spent an hour outside gardening with my family. We had good conversations with about four of our neighbors.
Take interest in your neighbors. Ask questions. Engage. Pray as you go. Save some gas, the planet, and some people.

Be a Regular
Instead of hopping all over the city for gas, groceries, haircuts, eating out, and coffee, go to the same places at the same times. Get to know the staff. Smile. Ask questions. Be a regular. I have friends at coffee shops all over the city. My friends at Starbucks donate a ton of leftover pastries to our church 2-3 times a week. We use them for church gatherings and occasionally give them to the homeless. Build relationships. Be a regular.Hobby with Non-ChristiansPick a hobby that you can share. Get out and do something you enjoy with others. Try city league sports or local rowing and cycling teams. Share your hobby by teaching lessons, such as sewing, piano, knitting, or tennis lessons. Be prayerful. Be intentional. Be winsome. Have fun. Be yourself.Talk to Your Co-workers. How hard is that? Take your breaks with intentionality. Go out with your team or task force after work. Show interest in your co-workers. Pick four and pray for them. Form moms’ groups in your neighborhood and don’t make them exclusively non-Christian. Schedule play dates with the neighbors’ kids. Work on mission.

Volunteer with Non-Profits.
Find a non-profit in your part of the city and take a Saturday a month to serve your city. Bring your neighbors, your friends, or your small group. Spend time with your church serving your city. Once a month. You can do it!Participate in City EventsInstead of playing XBox, watching TV, or surfing the net, participate in city events. Go to fundraisers, festivals, cleanups, summer shows, and concerts.

Participate missionally. Strike up conversation. Study the culture. Reflect on what you see and hear. Pray for the city. Love the city. Participate with the city.Serve Your Neighbors.Help a neighbor by weeding, mowing, building a cabinet, or fixing a car. Stop by the neighborhood association or apartment office and ask if there is anything you can do to help improve things. Ask your local Police and Fire Stations if there is anything you can do to help them. Get creative. Just serve!

Blessed

-A beautiful three bedroom condo with a nice view out of the windows
-Five beautiful woman of God that I get to share this condo with
-Furniture that was given to us
-Movers that were paid for
-Ten brothers in Christ who were eager to help and hang out with us during our moving day.
-Sisters that want to use our space for ministry
-Neighbors in our building that go to our church
-A life group that meets at their house
-The opportunity to serve them as they are a young family
-Opportunity to share Christ with others like the high school kids that talk about the nights party they want to go to and how drunk they want to get. I want to be their friends.
-A COC girl who works at the Mexican resturant across the street from where I live
-Bike Paths
-The gym I go to is walking distance
-Seeing the Lord answer in big ways!
-Opportunity to go to India this summer
-Parents that are actually supportive of it
-Friends that take pictures and make prayer cards
-Friends that pray
-Friends that are my family
-The body of Christ

Lord, you are amazing and good even if you didn't provide all of these things for me. Lord, thank you for letting me enjoy all that you have given me at this point in time. I Love you my sweet heavenly father! Praising you with all these breaths I take, you are worthly of all praise. I want to serve you with all you have given me. Lord, to die is gain! Die to self, but alive in Christ!

...Let us meditate on His goodness...